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Mar. 03, 2010

Musicians to Premiere Work by James Walker During March 5 ‘Obstinate' Music Concert

The Geneseo Wind Ensemble will premiere "Ballad" composed by James Walker (left).

GENESEO, N.Y. -- The State University of New York at Geneseo Wind Ensemble and Thursday Night Jazz Ensemble open their spring season March 5 at 8 p.m. in Wadsworth Auditorium. The concert is free and open to the public and will feature the premiere of a work by Wind Ensemble Conductor James Walker, written especially for Jazz Ensemble Director Jonathan Kruger in honor of Kruger's 20th year at Geneseo as director of the ensemble and instructor of trumpet.

Kruger will be featured in Walker's "Ballad" for Solo Jazz Trumpet and Wind Ensemble.

"I always wanted to write a piece for Jon," said Walker, distinguished service professor of music at Geneseo. "He is a wonderful musician who can move freely between the classical and jazz musical worlds. The piece, with its lilting and engaging melodies, allows him to improvise around them in sections that are deliberately set up for him to do just that. The works itself is built on a repeating bass melody or ‘ground,' and fits nicely into the concert's theme of ‘obstinate' music," he said.

All of the works in the concert are examples of how composers use "obstinate," or repetitive, devices in music. Also on the program are Bach's "Passacaglia in C minor"; the "Passacaglia" by Bin Kaneda; and "Prelude and Rondo" by David Holsinger. The jazz ensemble features music in the "Big Band" style, featuring works by some of America's top jazz ensemble composers.